When some people shop at the Swedish flat pack furniture megastore they see more than the rest of us. They see potential. Objects can take on other lives, salad bowls can be speaker cases, table tops become guitars, and trunks morph into end table/litter boxes. Maybe doing what ever the hell you want to do with the stuff is easier than following the instructions.
“I think there is a movement around looking at all the products that are available — this global stream of stuff — and realizing you can tinker with them and rebuild them,†the NY times quoted a man who made speakers from plastic red salad bowls and has, in the past, made audio devices from things like coffee cans. His odd creations "live in the zone of the hack."
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Flat-pack Hacking
- Creative reuse of flat-pack furniture leading to unique, personalized furnishings.
- DIY Creativity
- Individuals creating custom pieces using accessible and affordable materials and tools.
- Sustainable Furnishings
- Repurposing and upcycling of furniture diverting waste from landfills.
Where This Applies
- Furniture Retail
- Opportunities to offer customization services that respond to the growing interest in personalization.
- Consumer Electronics
- Inventive uses of existing materials to create audio devices could inspire new product categories.
- Sustainability
- Repurposing or upcycling of goods reducing environmental impact, a trend that could touch many industries beyond furniture.
